Overnight, the United States carried out a high-profile operation to seize an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, an action Caracas condemned as "international piracy."
The incident comes as tensions in the Caribbean escalate, with the US conducting a significant military build-up near Venezuela. Footage released by the US shows armed personnel boarding the vessel via helicopter, while President Donald Trump described it as “the largest one ever seized.”
US Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the tanker had been transporting oil to Iran and had long been sanctioned for its role in an illicit oil network linked to foreign terrorist groups. In response to questions about the tanker’s fate, Trump remarked, “We keep it, I guess… I assume we’re going to keep the oil.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has led the country since 2013, strongly condemned the seizure, calling it a "grave international crime." Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello also branded the US as "murderers, thieves, and pirates," insisting Venezuela would never become an “oil colony.”
Hours after the operation, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Maduro, reaffirming Russia’s support for Venezuela’s government and its policies to protect national sovereignty. Russia has increasingly positioned itself as a close ally of Caracas, with recent agreements enhancing cooperation in energy, security, and economic sectors.
The US has also positioned the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford near Venezuelan waters and launched a series of strikes on vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking in the region. Since September, these strikes have reportedly killed at least 80 people across 22 incidents.
This escalation reflects growing geopolitical tension in the Caribbean, as the US intensifies pressure on Venezuela while Russia deepens its strategic ties in the region.
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